NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk man was acquitted Tuesday on the second day of his trial for the shooting death of a Norfolk woman in August 2021.
After approximately two hours of deliberations, a jury found 37-year-old Julius Allen Herring not guilty of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Herring was arrested last summer after 41-year-old Amira Y. James-Rodgers was shot and killed at a home in the 1600 block of Kingsway Road. At the time, police said the incident appeared to be domestic-related.
Herring was represented by public defenders Christopher Bettis and Carter Kovalcheck.
"We are glad the jury took the oath seriously to listen to all the evidence, facts and arguments throughout the trial," Kovalcheck told News 3.
Commonwealth's Attorney Ramin Fatehi, the city's top prosecutor, also provided a statement to News 3 after the verdict:
"This was a difficult case from the beginning, one that was destined to go to trial. We concluded that the defendant had intentionally shot the victim during a domestic incident. The defense contended that the victim accidentally shot herself. By law, if a jury believes that there is a reasonable theory of innocence, they must acquit. We appreciate the hard work the jury put in to reach a verdict, even if it was not the verdict we were looking for. Our heart goes out to the victim’s son, who experienced the trauma of seeing his mother dead. We urge anyone suffering from interpersonal violence to seek assistance through the Norfolk Family Justice Center or the other local resources available to help victims."
Ramin Fatehi, Commonwealth's Attorney for the City of Norfolk
Norfolk Circuit Court Judge John Raymond Doyle III presided over the trial. Jail records show Herring is still in custody with a pending probation revocation, although court records indicate a bond hearing, in that case, is scheduled for November 1.
